Page 35 of Cattle Stop

“We,” Whit murmurs.

“I can’t hire anyone else,” Drew says. “C’mon, Coop, more cows would mean more staff and—”

“No, you’re not hiring anyone, we just need to change a couple things around. More efficient systems, smoother operations all over. The cattle stops are just the start. Dependable wholesale accounts, higher production, more money.” Cooper smacks his palm down on the counter. “Bam. Solved.”

“Bam,” Drew repeats, far softer. “Wholesale is an entirely different game than what we’re doing.”

“It’s not. I mean, it is, but it’s not. It’s just cheese, right? And Drew, you make the best damn cheese. Sure, the scale is different, but you can do it, and you and Whit can still manage this whole place. Maybe if it works out, one other person to help Whit out, eventually. That’s it. That’s all you’d need.”

The stairs creak and Penny pokes her head into the kitchen. “What the hell is all the noise?”

“Cooper thinks he has a good idea,” Whit says.

“I have a great idea.” Cooper taps the counter twice and then points at Whit. “His idea, actually. I’m just here to improve on it.”

“I,” Whit says, “did not suggest working with Brad.”

“Brad?” Penny asks. “Oh, Sadie, sweetie, don’t eat that.”

Cooper drags Sadie back from the counter again. She’s got bits of mozzarella stuck to her nose and swipes her long tongue to catch them, her tail wagging.

“Brad and I are going to talk tomorrow,” Cooper says. “Get a bite to eat and go over this. Drew, price list? Yes? Send it to me?”

“You’re getting dinner.” Whit’s voice is flat. Pissed that Cooper’s stepping all over his toes, Cooper’s sure, but hell if someone around here needs to fucking do something. Isn’t this what they talked about? Working together to help Drew?

“I don’t know. Yes? That’s what he said.” Cooper ruffles Sadie’s ears. This is it. It’s big. He can feel the promise of this plan thrumming through him.

“Dinner, dinner?” Penny asks.

“Dinner,” Cooper says.

Whit’s shoulders rise on a long breath.

“What?” Cooper asks.

“I’m going running.” Whit yanks the door open.

“Whit,” Penny says.

“This is going to be great.” Cooper nudges Sadie’s nose away from the cheese again and squints at Whit. He just went running, didn’t he? “Fix everything.”

Behind Whit, the door bangs shut.

Chapter Seven

Whit props his hands on his hips, his muscles bulging under the thin cotton of his T-shirt. “The cows are going to walk right over it.”

Cooper lifts his hat by the brim and wipes sweat off his forehead. “They are not.”

“Farmers use gates for a reason.”

“Other farmers use cattle stops for a reason.” With the sun pounding down on them, Cooper’s head is starting to ache. Or maybe it’s the storm clouds lingering on the horizon that haven’t moved toward them, breaking the afternoon’s humidity and bringing in some fresh air. Forgetting his water bottle back at the house hasn’t helped, though he’s not quite at the point he’s going to cave and ask Whit for a drink from his.

Hell, he’ll share the cows’ water if it comes to that. They haven’t even touched it yet they’re so excited to be out of the barn and on pasture, running and playing like they’re calves again, kicking their hind legs and jumping through the tall grass.

“Explain again how, exactly, this is going to make such a big difference to the farm?”

“I’m trying to save you time, you genius. You can say thank you, you know, because if you’re not running around, messing with opening and shutting gates whenever you want to hay a field or move the herd, you can fit more work into the day. Or quit early once in a while. Like today, for instance. A beautiful Saturday.” Cooper presses the heel of his hand to his forehead. It pulls at the muscle in his back, still sore and now all the more painful from a day of dragging the cattle stops around. “Can we be done for the afternoon? Please?”